When Coversations Fly
by scorpiaux
Summary: Things don't always go so smoothly for the Avatar's friends and foes. A collection of conversations where, though they say little, they realize everything means a lot. Mostly in Book Two, mostly Kataang,Tokka,MaiZuko, some may change. Rated for saftey.
1. Chapter One: Katara and Aang

When Conversations Fly

A/N: Hello everyone! Thought I'd write a fic to shake the season two blues.

Figures, this will be multi-chaptered, though mostly fluff, it will have progression. I've decided to do a sort of conversation thing between the characters. People can say so little and yet say so much. It's a very interesting concept that I've decided to tackle.

This first chapter is short, so I apologize. I have two other fics I'm working on but I wanted to get this one out. Hope you guys like, and don't forget to review!

-ScorpioRed112

* * *

_Chapter One: Katara and Aang Let Go_

Katara felt around under her pillow, searching for that special cool spot where her hand could rest. She hadn't slept well the night before, and she saw little chance of sleeping well this early in the morning.

It was probably beyond midnight; the sky was still dark and perilous outside. Katara felt ill. Why hadn't she been sleeping well these past couple of days? Was it the feeling of being this locked up in such a stuck up neighborhood? She couldn't be sure. All of her friends seemed to have been sleeping fine, what was wrong with her?

She lifted herself out of bed and pulled on a green "Welcome to Ba Sing Sei" robe that they had given her at their arrival. It was about three sizes too big, but it was warm. She decided she would go and sit on that little balcony right in front of the house, get some fresh air; anything to clear her mind or the rings around her eyes.

She walked silently past her brother and Toph, amazed that she could tell the difference. _Toph is so messy, _Katara thought mercilessly, observing the odd lump of flesh and her surrounding clothes. _We get another girl in the group, and she turns out to be worse than the guys. _

Katara's eyes then darted to Aang's blanket. To her surprise, the sheets were empty. _Where could he be this early?_ Her heart jumped when she saw a small figure move outside the window leading to the balcony. _It must be Aang_, she assured herself. Where else could he have been?

Without thinking, Katara opened the door, squinting immediately after a gust of cold air sliced at her cheeks. It was a cold night, she knew, but there was something wrong if Aang couldn't sleep either. She saw him hunched over his knees, his eyes partly closed, sitting on the staircase.

"Mind if I join you?" she whispered. "Aang?" She shook his shoulder gently. He jumped at her touch.

"What? Who?" His body relaxed when he saw her, and without another thought he slid over and made room for his companion.

"You can't sleep either," he stated. Katara could tell he had been up way before her, perhaps hours. His eyes were fogged and baggy, and his skin seemed paler than usual.

"No, I can't," she admitted, folding her frigid arms across her chest. She wondered how Aang could sit so still and be so warm in his regular clothes. "Are you thinking about Appa again?"

He was silent for a moment. "No, I don't think I am." He paused again. "I just…I don't know...I feel really out of place here."

Katara placed her cold hand on his shoulder. "We all feel out of place here," she reassured. "Except, of course, Sokka and Toph…but they can't be considered normal…" Aang laughed slightly, his face turning to Katara's direction. "I guess we're going to have to cope until we can see the Earth King."

Aang smiled from his seat, unbending slightly and stretching his legs forward. Katara knew what he felt—uncertainty, doubtfulness, fear. What if the Earth King never showed up? What if the Earth King didn't exist? What worse, what if the Earth King did nothing about the war? She sensed his pains and wished she could heal them as easily as she could heal everything else.

"I miss flying," Aang told her suddenly, walking to the petit swing set up on the balcony. Katara followed and sat next to him. "Everything is so cramped here…it feels so weird. Like we don't belong here."

"Because we don't!" Katara whispered back, laughing. "But we're only here temporarily, remember? I don't like it either…I mean, it's not like the South Pole was any less depressing but…" Katara stopped and tilted her head to the side. Aang was staring at her…an odd stare, his eyebrows sloped upward and a small smile pasted on his lips. "Aang?"

His face ran frigid—his eyebrows returning to their norm and his smile turning into a shy grin. His face went pink. "Sorry! I'm just sleepy, in a trance. Sleepy. Tired, just sleepy." His excuses could not hide his red face, or his scurrying gray eyes.

Katara smiled at him. "Maybe you should go get some sleep?"

"Well I can't just leave you," he stuttered. "I mean, not like I would leave you… you're out here too and I can't just go…and sleep. I can't sleep, anyway…and so, well, we're just sitting here…and I'm not _that_ tired, you know? I mean, I can go inside, if you want to go inside…"

Katara sighed restlessly as Aang stammered and tripped on his words. Thoughts of Aang being more than a friend had always occurred to Katara. They happened so often Katara thought of them more as a way of life. There was always a vivid picture of the two of them kissing whenever she thought about him. She wondered if this vision had come from her heart or her head—or if it would ever come true.

But it was impossible. Aang was a shy boy—a shy, immature boy. And he was busy—with saving the world and what not. And he would never take the first step. Never. Not with everything that he had to do and think about. _Sometimes I wish we could let go,_ she thought. It would give Aang some time to rest, to stop being Avatar for a while.

"Okay! You don't have to go inside you know…it's just because you were tired that I suggested it."

"But I'm not really that tired," Aang defended.

Katara laughed, "Aang, you win, don't go inside! Just say out here."

"Well if you really want me to, I guess I could." He beamed at her laughter. "What were we talking about again?" he asked.

"Something depressing that we shouldn't think about," Katara told him, almost laughing. "We're in the city, and all we can think about is leaving! It's so strange! Sometimes I think we're killing our selves, with all this responsib—" She stopped. She shouldn't be telling him that. They had to be responsible. If they weren't, who would be? The Fire Nation wasn't responsible, and look what they had done. She shook her head and looked away. "Never mind."

Instead of nodding and agreeing, Aang stared at her. "You know you're right," he told the back of her head. She turned to him. "You know it is killing us. Sometimes I just want to let go." He paused. "Let go and forget."

"It's not that, Aang. It's just..." Katara went silent. Aang was resting his right hand on hers.

What was he doing? Both felt their faces go warm. "It is killing us. And we _do_ need to let go and forget."

Aang felt Katara's fingers intertwine in his. He was amazed at how cold she was, figuring that she would be used to such awful temperatures. Both held each other's gaze, neither dared look down at their hands.

"We can't do that," she argued.

"You don't know for sure."

"Shake the thought, it's not safe."

"It doesn't matter. You think everything isn't safe."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

Was that a question? How close had they been sitting? Katara felt Aang's thumb brush against hers, slowly, as if she would break.

Her breath was warm against his face. He loved this argument. "Are you going to let go and forget with me or am I doing to do this on my own?"

"Don't do it!" Katara whispered defensively. "You can't just...you can't just let go. What are you planning on doing? Leaving?" She stopped, biting her lip. "You can't leave," she stated, definite in her sense of words. "You can't leave us."

"I am tired," Aang said, his face emotionless. He wasn't referring to just now. He was referring to his whole life, the life he had now and the one he had yet to lead.

"So am I," Katara stated, knowing what he meant. She had just mentioned the South Pole. She had just realized how much she missed the life of simplicity.

"You kept me from going inside."

"You keep me awake every night. I worry about you."

Woah! Where did this come from? Everything was sounding like a romantic drama. Okay, Katara knew she was overdoing it! She moved back and removed her hands from Aang's grasps. Timidly she crossed her arms and frowned. "We shouldn't be talking about this."

Aang beamed, faintly chuckling. "We just let go, Katara. Didn't you realize it?" He moved his arm around Katara's neck, a mocking gesture that a salesman would use to get a client to buy something. "See? Tell me it doesn't feel great to get everything off your chest. "

She felt her face go red at his touch. Somehow she knew it was a deep, deep shade, but she laughed regardless. "I believe we're ready for the next level of letting go," she teased. "Don't you think so?"

"It's a much more advanced level," Aang explained. "Much more advanced than anything we've dealt with before. We have to get EVERYTHING off of our chests." He cracked his knuckles. "It's time _I _taught _you_, for a change."

Katara laughed, thinking of Aang again as just a friend. How she loved his personality! He was able to shift the uncomfortable and awkward feelings without even trying. Everything they had said in the last two minutes vanished. "Teach me," Katara pleaded, smiling. "I've got loads of things to think and worry about. What do we say in level two, Avatar?"

"We don't say anything," Aang told her. He moved close and pressed his lips against her cheek—a warm, sweet, naive kiss.

It was quick and hasty, almost as if Aang was getting away with something. He pulled back with an unmistakable red shade across his cheeks.

Katara blinked, unsure of what had just happened. Unwillingly, she smiled. "Avatar, you make a horrid teacher!" She stood up. "You didn't even let me try my hand at level two!"

Katara bent down and kissed his cheek. "I'm going inside, instructor." In truth, she wanted to make sure she wasn't dreaming. What did he mean when he said they were letting go? Forgetting? Was his duty as Avatar getting in the way of their relationship?

Was it even considered a relationship? It was just natural attraction, perhaps; the fact that Aang had not seen anyone in 100 years, it would be very easy for him to love her or any other girl under the sun.

"I'm coming with you," Aang stated. He stood up as well, stretching. "It's too cold out when you're here by yourself."

The stood motionless for a while.

"Does letting go only have two levels?" Aang asked, his voice quiet. "Because, I..." he paused, crossing his arms.

Katara stared at him, prodding him to go on.

"I...I think... I still fell like I have a lot to say." Aang's eyes sparkled, hoping Katara would stay outside with him some more. Her eyes, her voice, that kiss, he wanted to relive it.

Instead she smiled and placed her frigid hand on his shoulder. She was well aware that he needed the attention, the talks, and the explanations. He was a child hero, half hero and half child, with a lot to seethe out. "There are a zillion levels, Aang. Any time you feel like letting go, you tell me."

Katara was amazed at her sudden change in mood. Just before she wanted to remain strong and responsible, but now she knew it was impractical. "I guess I feel like I have a lot to say too," she told him.

They walked inside just as the sun was rising, watching their steps over Sokka and Toph. To their surprise they fell asleep easily, perhaps knowing that the only weight preventing their slumber had evaporated with talks and kisses. They dreamt heavily. The weight was off their chests, even if it was only for one night.


	2. Chapter Two: Sokka and Toph

**When Conversations Fly**

**A/N:** I thank many of you for the awesome reviews. Your input is much appreciated, and I DO take suggestions. Please feel free to tell me my faults as well as my good points, and follow suit with reading and reviewing.

Merci mille fois,

ScorpioRed112

* * *

_Chapter 2: Sokka, Toph, and Sun_

As the sun blared hotly above the small Ba Sing Sei cabins, Toph lay motionless on her mat. It had to have been at least noon, she knew, or even later. Sweat and fatigue forced her to stay in the cabin regardless of the horrifying temperatures. The Earthbender tried to ignore the heat.

_Maybe I should have went with them,_ she thought vaguely now, rolling over to her side. Aang and the Water Tribe children had gone up to the river to rinse off. They had asked her if she wanted to go, but she refused flatly and told them she'd rather sit in the cabin and boil before getting drowned in Katara's medium.

"That isn't healthy," Sokka had told her, frowning. "You don't have to get in the water, you can just sit on the side."

The siblings had argued a good deal before they left. The momentous arguments that poured from Katara's mouth still seemed to hang in the room. _Sokka! You're AWFUL. Leave Aang alone. Sokka, stop that. Sokka, take your shoes off before coming into the house. Come on, leave it clean for once. How many times have I told you to take the hair out of the drain? Agh! Sokka! _

Katara, her figure slim and tanned and barely covered, was extremely excited about the trip and angry at her brother, so she didn't offer much persuasion. Toph continued to refuse their efforts anyway, and so they left without her.

The air in the cabin sat stilly, almost as if someone had stuffed the room with cotton. _Twinkle Toes' Airbending would be great right about now,_ Toph thought. Restlessly she rolled over to her stomach and sat up, stretching. Then she stood, wobbling only a bit, and began walking towards the armoire.

She shifted through the various layers of clothes, remembering what Katara had told her before she left. "Toph, if you aren't going to come, then don't wear anything. It isn't worth it in this heat!"

The blind girl smiled at this idea, thinking of Aang's immediate reaction to that phrase. "I'll go naked!" Toph said out loud to herself, fascinated by Katara's reasoning. She felt her clothes: a white sleeveless shirt and green shorts, already thick with sweat.

She walked out the door. Perhaps it was the heat, but she wanted to find her friends. She wouldn't touch the water though. Not now, not ever. Water was dangerous. Earth was safe.

* * *

The group hadn't had gone too far when Toph caught up with them. The pools in Ba Sing Sei were overflowing with nobles, so the friends decided that the river would have to do. They had settled comfortably in the sludge, splashing and laughing regardless of the mud's permanent stains. Aang had set up a small blanket on the grass far away from the slippery turmoil. He sat there thoughtfully and watched as the Water Tribe siblings covered themselves with earth.

"Toph!" Sokka exclaimed as he saw the girl pace up to their spot. "I knew the heat would get to you!"

Toph spat. "Sure it did," she stated sarcastically. She smiled and sat next to Aang.

Katara lifted herself from the murky water and used her Waterbending to remove the remaining droplets. "I'm glad you came," she said. "And that you didn't pile yourself with clothes."

Toph nodded, still wondering whether following the group was the best idea.

"Aang prepared lunch," Sokka offered, also getting out of the muddy water. "How about we have some?"

"We just ate!" his sister protested. She shook her head helplessly. "Toph, how about you come with me for a swim? The water's so cool it's _wondrous..._" Katara sounded out each syllable, as if the word were some sort of delicious food. She wiggled her toes. "We can stay in the shallow end," she stated, a hint of pride in her voice.

"I'm not going in there," Toph retorted immediately. "I don't care how _wondrous_ it is—" Toph drew out the syllables as Katara had done—"It's dangerous."

Sokka chuckled at her imitation. "It won't kill you!" Katara sounded offended. "That time with the serpent was different, the water was deep. Here you can reach the ground!"

Toph's face darkened and she clenched her fists. That time with the serpent was _not_ different. All water was the same.

Sensing the tension, Aang stood up. "Well then...if Toph won't swim...how about we...um..."

"Eat?" Sokka asked.

Aang nodded hastily and pulled out loaves of fresh bread, cheese, nuts, and various fruits from his basket. Sokka grabbed at the food hungrily and gobbled it down, satisfied.

After each had had their fill, Katara and Aang had decided to do some Waterbending. They ran up to the wider portion of the river and began a long strain of different moves. Water whipped around them gracefully, sunlight streamed throughout the beams of water. Frankly, it looked as if the two were dancing in a rainbow.

The sounds of their laughing and talking were hard to ignore, but there was still silence between Sokka and Toph.

"Such a shame you can't see the happy couple and their interpretive dance," Sokka said. Toph didn't reply.

"Are you going to finish that?" Sokka asked after a long pause of discomfort.

"No," Toph replied, and threw him the piece of bread.

"You know, you really don't have to go into the deep end. Sitting in the water is fine, or you could just splash your feet around from the side," Sokka explained, watching Katara and Aang splatter water on each other. "Katara's only so defensive about it because she loves it so much. You don't have to love it as much as she does to enjoy it."

"I don't want to go in there," Toph responded.

"No matter how _wondrous _it is?" Sokka asked, imitating Katara's voice from earlier. Toph couldn't help but laugh. Sokka smiled.

Sokka moved towards the muddy edge of the river and stuck one toe it. "You can feel were I am, right? How does the river feel?"

"I can only feel what's on the ground of the river," Toph clarified. "And there isn't much, just some rocks...maybe some plants."

"You can't feel anything above that?"

"No," Toph muttered. "No...it feels like there's something _heavy_ there, something with weight. But I can't feel what's swimming around in it or what's moving on the top." She paused. "I can't even sense where Twinkle Toes and Sugar Queen have went."

She was indeed right; the sounds of Katara and Aang's laughter had faded away. Sokka quickly looked back. His sister and Aang were no were to be found. "Oh my God! Where did they go?" Sokka stood up briskly and pulled a towel around his shoulders. He scanned the top of the river. Nothing.

"Calm down, at least you know they didn't drown," Toph stated. "They probably went back to the cabin to get something, or do something..."

Toph could feel Sokka's heartbeat rising. "What are they _doing_? You think they would've _told_ me where they were going! The _nerve_!" He crossed his arms. "There's no way in _heck_ I'm going after them! That's it!"

There was a short period of silence.

"You know," Toph started, "Aang likes Katara. A lot. I mean, he has some sort of obsession."

Sokka's face grew red, his heartbeat again rising. "What!"

"Don't tell me you haven't been paying attention!" Toph laughed. "Come on! He practically kills himself over her. I'm blind and I can see it."

"No," Sokka's voice broke. "No, that's not right...no..." He paused and shook his head. "Toph, Aang's a monk, I don't think he'd have any interest in Katara. They're just really good friends, is all."

"Sure."

"And he doesn't."

"Okay, yeah."

"No way in heck he likes _my_ sister..."

"You're right."

"Ah! Stop agreeing with me! Is this some sort of mind trap or something?" Sokka pulled his knees to his chest. "Now look what you've done, you've got ideas in my head!"

"Oh?" Toph sounded uninterested. "Ideas?"

"Yeah...they could be off...I don't know, getting married or something!" The boy's voice was angry and loud, perhaps to a point where he no longer knew what he was saying. "Or...doing...something else!"

"I don't think they would do that," Toph answered him. She regretted bringing the matter up, but she loved how quickly she could manipulate Sokka's head. "What would they do, anyway?"

Sokka was quiet, his heartbeat again racing. "Toph," he started. He wanted to tell her that it wasn't really his area of expertise. "I don't know."

"Liar, liar..." the girl teased.

"Stop that!" Sokka yelled. "Man, you know what they could be doing! Kissing or something. Doing things that young people shouldn't do!"

"You don't trust your sister enough?"

"She worries me," Sokka started, moving to the edge of the river again. His tone grew serious and low. "Ever since our mother and father left us...she took life as it came, didn't really care anymore. Aang changed that a lot," Sokka stopped and began splashing his feet around in the water. Short swirls and ripples moved away from his skin. "She liked him a lot because he made her see that life wasn't a waste...that's why I'm worrying."

Toph was quiet.

"You still think they...you know...are doing something?" Sokka's voice had returned to its shrill and boyish pitch, a strain of worry barely audible in his voice.

"I was just messing with you," Toph replied, wiping some sweat away from her forehead. "They aren't doing anything. You really think they would?"

Sokka smiled and shook his head. "Aang's a square."

"He isn't _wondrous_ enough."

Sokka laughed. "And he's only a kid."

"They probably went back home to drop off their clothes," Toph added, also laughing. "You know Katara's philosophy."

"_It isn't worth it in this heat,_" Sokka said in his high imitation voice. "My sister is so weird sometimes."

"It's the heat," Toph added. "It makes us all very crazy." Suddenly she stood up and stretched. She took off her shirt so that only her chest bindings remained on her sticky pale skin. "Let's go swimming."

Sokka was astonished that she would take up such an offer. Regardless, he guided her to the shallow, murky area and let her sit on a large stone. She splashed around a bit, using her fingers to sift through the water. "This stuff isn't very heavy at all," she examined. "There's a lot of it."

"It's actually pretty heavy, once you have a lot of it, you know, in one place." Sokka reached below the shallow water and pulled out a clump of mud. "See? Alone it's light." He placed the mud in Toph's hand. Smiling, she threw it back at him. It exploded squarely in Sokka's chest.

"Hey!"

"Sorry," Toph started, grabbing more mud from the bottom. "I can't help it _in this heat_!"

* * *

Katara and Aang had gone back to the cabin, but only because Katara had accidentally ripped Aang's shorts from the back. While paying attention on her strong, sharp water whip she had forgot that Aang was practicing at the same time. He had held his shorts together until they got to the cabin, where he quickly changed his clothes, already red and embarrassed.

Sokka and Toph remained at the river for a while, at least three hours passed before they came to their senses and went back to the cabin.

"Where have you guys been?" Katara asked, worried. "I thought something horrible happened!"

"I'm not the one that secretly went back to the cabin without telling anyone," Sokka retorted.

"What was the hurry?" Toph smiled.

"Aang's...pants ripped," Katara explained, still embarrassed.

"It was an emergency," Aang informed.

"Yeah, yeah..." Sokka stretched his sticky limbs, yawning. "Well, I was able to persuade Toph to join me in the water," he boasted proudly.

"I think I decided that for myself, Captain Obvious," Toph shot back. Carefully she wrapped a towel around her wet and muddy shoulders. "Amazingly, Katara, you were right." She paused. "Water isn't all that bad."

Katara smiled, pleased. "It's wonderful..." she replied dreamily. "I'm going to sleep."

After the friends had washed up and fallen asleep, Toph lay on her bed, still awake. "No, water's not all that bad," she whispered to herself. She grinned thought of her activities today "And neither is Sokka."


	3. Chapter Three: Zuko and Mai

**When Conversations Fly**

**A/N: **Have fun with this one, guys. Merci mille fois for all of your reviews.

This chapter does go a bit...over the top. You have to know what the knife symbolizes, and the game, and Mai. So please pay close attention, otherwise you won't get it and I'll end up explaining it. How about this: if you submit a well understood review, you get a peek into the next chapter. ;-)

I'm sorry if it seems a bit on the depressing side--you know, Zuko isn't exactly the greatest character to talk about. I mean, he's just depressing in himself. You may or may not agree with the point of view I've taken, or the characters. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy regardless.

Thanks Again,

**_ScorpioRed112_**

* * *

_Chapter Three: Zuko and Mai Play the Winning Game_

If there was one thing that Zuko could not stand, it was that he was simply not good enough.

This little detail got in the way of almost everything he did. He couldn't talk to his sister with a straight face. His scowl would pull his eyes down, his lip wrinkling. Perhaps he remembers. He remembers that day.

That day. It wasn't just "that" day though; it was almost the turning point of his life. And it was the deciding factor of another objective: girls.

Girls. He remembers that too, now. He remembers that dark sulking girl that graced the palace, always scowling, always following Azula around. He hated her.

That day, that girl, that one time...that one game.

* * *

Zuko was about 13 at the time, young still, and still in the palace. His body was long and dangly, but that was well covered behind his armor. His hands were too big, his body too small. His brain couldn't keep track of his climbing limbs—they simply grew and grew, and Zuko often stumbled and cursed at this clumsiness. 

Contrary to his belief, everyone recognized him as a womanizer, a flirt. Perhaps not that strange man that comes up to a woman and mumbled comments, but that awfully adorable lad that woman often want to hold and tease: that young lad that had such a rich and fulfilling background, that lived in the palace and had the smile of the devil. Yes, that awfully charming boy.

People recognized him. Many little girls came up to him and tried to climb his back. Others simply smiled shyly and ran away. Others called him over and asked him to do something for them. He was well liked in the palace grounds, even outside of those grounds, and possibly—had he kept this up—he would be well liked all over the world.

Most of all, girls liked Zuko's face. His lips were thin and pouting, his eyes shimmering gold and standing out of his lightly tanned skin. His cheekbones were high and inviting, his hair thick and tied back. That was one thing Zuko was thankful for. His body _was_ changing, but his face wasn't. And often he found that people would barely notice his clumsiness or cracking voice after stealing a glance at his golden cheeks.

Today Zuko had nothing particular in mind. He stood solemnly against a marble gazebo wall and looked across the pound surrounding it. The palace was about as boring as ever—hardly anything to do. His father was off in a meeting, not that he saw much of that man now anyway. And his sister...

Azula! There she was, coming towards him, under the arched hallways of the outer courts. And behind her, the crew, Mai and Ty Lee.

Zuko almost forced a smile, but the warm glow came naturally inside of him. He loved messing with Ty Lee and Mai. Especially Mai. He didn't know what it was about her, but she was awfully easy to taunt. She said nothing, did nothing, refused nothing. Zuko was sure that he could've killed her by now had he wanted to, and she just would have looked through him and frowned.

"Siiister deeeaaarest!" Zuko called, imitating the voice of an old man. His hand waved wildly. Azula's mouth—quite visible from a distance of about 10 feet—was already pulled up tight and menacing.

"Shut up!" she snapped angrily. "We don't have time for your games."

"Who's playing?" Zuko jumped across the small rocks that covered the river. He stood in front of his sister and her crew now, still grinning from ear to ear. "I just wanted to say hi."

"Bored?" Ty Lee asked him. "So are we. No offense, Azula, but standing next to Zuko by that stupid lake actually seems funner than what you're pulling us through." Ty Lee smiled and turned to Mai. "Don't you think so?" The quiet girl shrugged.

"Funner?!" Azula asked. "You mean 'more fun,' you grammatically inefficient girl! And go stand next to my lump of a brother. He could use some company."

Zuko's smile was still situated as he crossed his arms. "Losing your friends to me already. Shows how great of a person you are." He pointed grudgingly at his little sister. "That makes me and Ty Lee. And you and Mai."

Ty Lee wrinkled her brow. "For what, dare I ask?"

"Why," Zuko looked almost shocked, "the greatest game of all time, of course."

"Game!" Ty Lee clapped wildly and swung her arms around the young prince. Mai's fists tensed. "I simply adore games! Which game is this here? I'm on your team?"

"It's a race," said the boy as he pried Ty Lee off of his neck.

"What!" Azula spat. "You can't have Ty Lee on your team, she has to be on _my_ team. I can't just have Mai."

Now this was the catch. Everyone knew of the flexible girl's ability—she could like her elbow if she wanted to. But Mai did almost nothing. Zuko took the challenge.

"I'll have Mai on my team. You can have Ty Lee, you'll still lose. But to make things more interesting," Zuko walked to the end of the hallway. "Winner gets this silver knife." Carefully he pulled out a shinning metal from the grass. Not exactly his perfect hiding place, but no one ever came down this hallway. He showed it to Azula. Her eyes twinkled.

"Mai and Ty Lee—you guys have to run one lap around, then tag me and Azula. OK? First person across wins." The girls nodded. They took their stations.

"GO!"

And they were off. For a second, Zuko felt as if he had made a huge mistake. What if Mai didn't make it in time, and Azula won? If she got a head start, she _could_ win...it was possible. He began biting his nails.

Suddenly he saw a figure racing toward him in the distance behind, pounding faster and faster. It was Mai! And Ty Lee was nowhere in sight! What a glorious victory! Here she comes and—

She tagged Zuko wildly—her had moist and clammy. Zuko sprinted a lap and just as he was midway, Ty Lee tagged Azula.

"Where have you been?" Zuko heard Azula snap. But it was all in vein—Zuko and Mai had won.

When the young prince had finished the lap he grabbed Mai's body in a tight and unusual hug, so happy that he had won. So happy that she had made it. Mai's face turned red—a deep, deep shade that looked almost like blood. She pulled away from him and went inside.

Zuko had done his fair share in gloating. He wagged the silver knife in Azula's face. All's fair in love and war, and in races too. He stuck his tongue out at Ty Lee and Azula, both of who did it back at him. They taunted each other until the sun was peaking back into the trees. The girls went inside, but Zuko stayed at the gazebo.

His eyes wondered restlessly about the castle. He loved this feeling of being the best, being invincible like his father. It made him puff his chest and take deep breaths. It made him smile. He continued fingering the knife, the smile never leaving his face.

Suddenly Zuko felt a warm breath next to him. His neck snapped to his right, only to hear, "I cheated."

Zuko stood up. It was Mai.

At first he didn't know what to do. He had never seen either Ty Lee or Mai alone, always together at Azula's side. And also, Mai had never spoken. This was the first thing Zuko had heard from her. She repeated loudly now, "I cheated."

"Don't say that," Zuko said. His eyes twinkled brightly against the perilous background. His reassuring smile bubbled to the surface. "I know you didn't cheat, Azula and Ty Lee are just sore losers and they—"

"No," Mai came up closer to him, her face also white in the dark. "No, I cut across the hallway, inside. That's why I made it back so fast." Her voice cracked and her lip trembled. "I know it doesn't matter much but I just...I just wanted to make you happy." She paused, chewing on her lower lip. "I'm sorry."

Zuko blinked a few times. "Oh." His hand shifted to the back of his neck as his reflection played on the knife. "Oh...well, it's okay I guess...it's alright." But his heart had sunk deeply in his chest. He felt broken. He had never cheated in all his life.

And this was the first thing he had seen Mai do. The first thing she had said.

"You cheated," he repeated stupidly. "Well."

"Please don't be mad!" Mai's voice was silky and low, apologetic. "Please Zuko. I just...I don't even know what happened...and I didn't want you to be happy for nothing...but we...but _I_ just...just don't deserve to win." She glanced at the knife.

Zuko put the knife in his pocket. "Why did you do it? I don't care if we lost, it would have been worth it. Nothing is as sick as cheating." Something was happening to his face. He was angry, viciously angry. His smile transformed into a scowl.

Mai paused. Her eyes grew wide and petrified. She took a step back, her hand rushing to her mouth in an "oh my!" manner. She looked down to Zuko's feet.

"I...I just...I like you so much. Zuko...I think I love you." In a swift, deft movement she paced up to Zuko and pressed her lips warmly against his, holding his body close.

The words came rushing out, like a waterfall, like an avalanche, like a tornado. But not like a smooth and doubtless effort, not like honey and milk. Like mud and water, things that always just _came too early—_things that there was _no time for._

Her lips were warm against his; so warm they felt as if they would melt through him. Had this been Ty Lee, had this been anyone else, any other honest person, Zuko probably would have accepted it, and maybe even enjoyed it a bit. But this was a cheater, a girl who the boy hardly knew at all.

His pouting lips where partially open and inviting more of Mai. But he shut them instantly and he stepped back almost as soon as she had touched him.

Zuko looked down, unsure of what to say. Of course she loved him. Everyone loved him. Maybe his father paid no attention to him, but every other girl he had met simply adored him. What was he to do now? Of course she loved him, but he didn't love her. He just enjoyed her feasible nature, and that was all.

He didn't want to kiss her. He didn't want to be tied down to her. He didn't _like_ her.

"You cheated," he stated coldly. He looked at her face, still scowling. "You are a cheater."

He began walking towards the palace.

"But Zuko!" Mai called out. "Zuko, please! Listen, it was just a game!"

The prince didn't reply. He charged angrily to his room, throwing the silver knife at the wall and flopping his body down on the bed.

* * *

_It was just a game. _So is love. So is life. So was that uncalled-for kiss. Mai cheated. All women cheated. 

Zuko's flirtatious manner was greatly decreased, his pride broken. He didn't challenge his sister to anything anymore. He became guarded. Afraid.

He didn't want anyone to kiss him anymore. He didn't want anyone to cheat him any more. Mai had taken him for a fool, stripped him and made him think he was the best. In reality he was just a simple boy with limbs too long and a face too pretty.

It was just a game, but he hadn't won at all. He had lied to Azula and Ty Lee without even noticing it. Lying was something only Azula did. Cheating and lying...

Why had Mai won? Cheaters should never win, and yet she crossed the finish line with ease, and kissed him at her whim. Cheaters won, whereas the honest majority sulked at the end of the line, and never won the race.

It was the winning game, where everyone loses and everyone wins, and the only thing promoted is the game—the cheating, the lying, the love, the kiss, and the life. But the players never advance.

* * *


End file.
